Feeding finger



J. EVASIC FEEDING FINGER Filed Jan. l2, 1938 lill. ,Iliff n ff.

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w\ N\ l Y I I .IH/ l I V Aug'.` 29, 1939.

Patented ug. 29, 1939 UNITED sTATss PATENT orrres FEEDING FINGER JohnEvasic, Detroit, Mich. Application January 12, 1938, Serial No. 184,652

6 Claims.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in a feeding fingeradapted for use for feeding elongated strips of metal into machineswhich are intended to perform work upon the strip of metal. In this`type of mechanism the feeding finger is generally attached to a feedingtube, both of which are reciprocated by the operating machine to feedforwardly a pre.- determined length of the strip of material and thenwithdraw and move longitudinally of the material to obtain another grip.In the forward movement, the strip of material fed is gripped tightlyand in the backward movement the strip is released to permit the feedingnger to obtain another grip. It commonly happens that when the strip ofmaterial has been fed forwardly its desired length, the movement of thefeeding tube. has not as yet been coinpleted with the result that as thecompletion of this movement is effected, parts of the machine as well asthe strip of metal and the feeding finger and tube, are placed understrain often resulting in distortion and. sometimes in fracture or otherdamage to parts of the machine.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a feeding finger soarranged and constructed that while it will feed forwardly, the strip ofmetal under firm pressure, it will also, when this pressure extendsbeyond a predetermined pressure, permit a yielding of the partsconnecting the feeding finger and the feeding tube to relieve themechanism of undue strain.

it is another object of the invention to provide a floating connectionbetween the feeding nger and the feeding tube so that when unduepressure is exerted between these two parts, a yielding of theconnections may be effected.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a simple andeffective gripping member in the feeding finger whereby the strip ofmetal to be fed may be firmly gripped on the forward stroke and easilyand quickly released on the backward stroke.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a feeding linger soarranged and constructed that a minimum number of parts are utilized foreffecting a rm grip.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists of the combination and arrangement of partshereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by a reference to the accompanyingdrawing which forms a part of this specification, and in which,

(Cl. Zit-61) Fig. 1 is a side, elevational view of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal, central, sectional view of the invention.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, sectional view slightly enlarged taken throughthe feeding finger.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line i-ll of Fig. 3.

In the drawing I have illustrated the invention used with a feeding tube9. Slidably connected to the rear end of this feeding tube, intelescopic relation therewith, is the hollow thrust delivery member i0,threaded through which is a set Screw H riding in an axial slot i2formed in the tube. 9. member ld is connected to the operating part ofthe machine with which used and serves as a means for effecting areciprocation of the tube 9. Positioned within the head and engaging atone end, the end of the tube il and at its opposite end the base of the.thrust delivery member It is a coil spring i2 vwhich serves to retainthe head l0 thrust rearwardly of the tube 9. The base of thevthrustdelivery member it is formed with a central opening i?. throughwhich the rod i@ of metal to be ttedextends. Inserted slideably in theforward end of the tube 9 is a feeding finger sleeve I5 which isprevented from being withdrawn from the tube Q by means of the set screwI6. .A spring il embraces the sleeve i5 and engages, at one end againstthe end of the tube 9 and at the opposite endagainst the face of thehead |48 for normally retaining the sleeve l5 thrust outwardly of thetube El. Threaded on the head i3 is a cover IS which serves to retain inposition the gripping mechanism located Within the head. V'l'.l'iisgripping mechanism comprises a ring 2t having an openn ing formedtherethrough of sufficient size to permit play when the rod Id isprojected therethrough. Extending axially of the ring Eil, at one sidethereof, is a flange or axial extension 2l which is provided with aperipherally projecting ball 22 to facilitate slideable movement of thering 2%] axiallyof the head i8. In` this slideable movement the ball 22engages against the inclined inner surface 25 of the head I8 so as toeffect a rocking of the ring 2i! axially and thereby clamp the ring 2lion the rod i4.

A spring 23 serves to engage the ring 2i) and force it inwardly of thehead E8 to normally maintain it in clamped position. This constructionis such that as the head I8 is moved axially of the rod i4 to the leftof the drawing, the ring 20 will be tilted so that its axis is inclinedto This thrust delivery the axis of the rod I4 and thereby the rod I4will be gripped by the ring 20 suciently to effect a feeding of the rodI4 in unison with the movement of the sleeve I5. When the rod I4 is heldfirm at one end and the head I8 is moved axially thereof to the right ofthe drawing, therring 20 will release its grip and permit a free slidingof the head I8 longitudinally of the rod I4.

In the feeding movement the thrust is delivered from the head I throughspring I2 tothe tube 9 and from the tube 9 through the spring I1 to thehead I8. There is thusl a floating mounting in which yieldable parts areutilized for transmitting the feeding thrust. The springs I2` and I'lare of sufficient tension that these parts do not move relatively to.each other in a normal operation but serve to present a` Suicientlyrigid structure for normal feeding of the rod I4. However, should anundue obstruction be met so that abnormal resistance would beencountered, the springs II and I2 would permit the yielding of theparts sufficiently to prevent damage either to the feeding tube, thefeeding nger, or the connecting parts.

In this way I have constructed a feeding finger which is simple instructure and which is highly efficient in use and free from theobjectionable features enumerated herein.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form ofconstruction I do not wish to limit myself to the precise details ofstructure shown but desire to avail myself of such variations andmodifications as may come within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new is:

1. A feeding finger of the class described, comprising: a hollow thrustdelivery member; a tubular member mounted in telescopic relation withsaid delivery member; a head; a gripping mechanism in said head forgripping a workpiece projected therethrough; a sleeve projectingoutwardly from said head and slideably ins'ertible into said tubularmember; a spring for resisting slideable movement of said sleeveinwardly of said tubular member; and a spring in said thrust deliverymember for resisting inward movement of said tubular member relativelyto said thrust delivery member.

2. In a feeding linger of the class described, a cup-shaped head havinga tapered inner surface; an annular member mounted in said head adaptedfor embracing a work-piece projected through said head; and an axiallydirected flange on one side of said annular member engageable with saidtapered surface for effecting a tilting of said annular member on theWorkpiece for clamping the same.

3. In a feeding nger of the class described, a cup-shaped head having atapered inner surface; an annular member mounted in said head adaptedfor embracing a, workpiece projected through said head; an axiallydirected flange on one side of said annular member engageable with saidtapered surface for effecting a tilting of said annular member on theworkpiece for clamping the same; and a spring in said head for movingsaid annular member into position for effecting the engagement of saidflange with said tapered surface.

4. In a feeding nger of the class described, a cup-shaped head having atapered inner surface; an annular member mounted in said head adaptedfor embracing a workpiece projected through said head; an axiallydirected flange on one side of said annular member engageable with saidtapered surface for effecting a tilting of said annular member on theworkpiece for clamping the same; a spring in said head for moving saidannular member into position for effecting the engagement of said flangewith said tapered surface; and a rotatable member carried by said flangeand engageable with said tapered surface for reducing friction betweensaid tapered surface and said flange.

5. In a feeding nger of the class described: a cup-shaped head; anannular member positioned in said head adapted for embracing a workpieceprojected through said head; an axial extension on said annular memberprojecting outwardly from one face thereof; and means associated withsaid head engageable with said extension upon axial movement of saidannular member for effecting a tilting of said annular member on theworkpiece for clamping the same.

6. In a feeding finger of the class described: a cup-shaped head; anannular member positioned in said head adapted for embracing a workpieceprojected through said head; an axial extension on said annular memberprojecting outwardly from one face thereof; means associated with saidhead engageable with said extension upon axial movement of said annularmember for effecting a tilting of said annular member on the workpiecefor clamping the same; and resilient means engageable with said annularmember for effecting axial movement thereof.

JOHN EVASIC.

